How much paint needed 3 stage paint?

[Bearwen]

So I am looking at spraying my sons 1979 280zx hard top.

we plan to spray the exterior the door jams the engine bay the underside of the hood and the engine block.

the paint is a red metallic color it is a 3 stage paint

The base is a red color then the second layer is a candy red and then the final layer is clear coat.

I am wondering how much of each layer will I need to paint this car?

I will be spraying over a medium / light grey colored primer.

The second layer the candy layer most who have sprayed this color say 2 maybe 3 coats are needed most times.

 

so I am guessing 2-3 coats of base red then 2-3 coats of the candy red and then 3 minimum coats of clear ( we want to wet sand and buff the clear).

 

im guessing a gallon mixed ready to spray of every layer is probably about right since it's 

1. Red 

2. were painting engine bay, jams, body and the engine block.

 

let me know what you guys think Im looking at a DuPont and a sherwin Williams  paint I dont remember the name of the DuPont but the sherwin Williams was there 7000 series.

 

also I will be spraying with a DeVilbiss GPI with 1.4 tip for base and clears and 1.8 tip for primer.
This is a regular gravity spray gun it is NOT hvlp

 

Thanks for any help you guys can give me.

Edited August 27, 2021 by Bearwen

[walkerbk]

Do your self a favor and go with southernpolyurethanes.com best paint you can get.

 

You should only need 2 coats of base covered by 2 mid coats and then 3 coats of clear (little more for wet sanding). Should come out to 1.5g of base mixed and mid and then 2g clear mixed.

 

You can do 3 mid coats if needed based on tiger stripping 

[G-Tech]

i think your on the right track. i did my ZX in House of Kolor Kandy Base. look into it, it is very similar to regular candy but more forgiving if you ever have to repaint. im super happy with it, get lots of complements and even won a few best paint trophies. i did black as a base, it gives the color more flop. 2 coats of black, 3 coats of red and 3 coats of clear. a gallon of everything was good for me doing body, door and hatch jams, and engine bay. i didnt do the engine block. i went thru TCPGlobal for everything and was very happy with it all. 

[Bearwen]

Gtech

very nice the color we are looking at is very similar to what your car looks like.

yours is a little darker.

 

so 1 gallon sprayable for every stage isn't to much?

base stage, candy stage and clear stage.

so a total of 3 sprayable gallons.

 

[G-Tech]

The only thing I could've done less was the 1st base coat. It maybe took 3 qts.

[Bearwen]

Thanks again for the info.

I had forgotten about TCP global and house of Kolor.

looks like we are going that route so thanks again.